The Beginning of a New Chapter
June 8, 2023
Hello! I’m Anushka, a rising senior at the University of Delaware studying Neuroscience. My dream of becoming a doctor and working in the medical field had long been ingrained within me. However, I was contemplating whether a career in medicine was truly my destiny, when I received a surprising email.
It all began when I was doing the usual sweep of my inbox at the end of the day and noticed an email from the advisor for the department of Psychological and Brain Sciences regarding a position as a summer research intern at Fox Chase Cancer Center. The email described the cancer center and contained information regarding a Discovery Day visit. That immediately caught my attention, as most other institutions didn’t provide interested applicants with the opportunity to visit and tour the facility before officially applying. I knew right away that I had to sign up to go for the Discovery Day visit. Upon visiting, it was clear that everyone at Fox Chase was dedicated to the patient experience and making advancements in cancer research, and it instilled in me a deep desire to do so as well. It was clear to me that everyone I met that day was passionate and motivated about what they were doing. Being in that environment made me want to contribute to the same cause. The visit further solidified my conviction to apply, and I am very thankful for the opportunity.
Applying for the program, I was extremely nervous as I feared there were candidates with much more experience and knowledge than me; however, I am glad I took the risk and sent in my application as I was officially accepted! I was ecstatic upon learning that I was to be a Summer Fellow for the 2023 Empower Fellowship, but with it came a sense of nervousness of being in a new environment surrounded by new people. The anticipation mounted the weeks leading up to the beginning of the program. A couple of weeks prior to the beginning of the program, we were given a chance to meet the other fellows, which helped us become familiar with one another and start building friendships, which in turn helped acclimate me to the new environment more easily.
We kicked off the first week of the internship with the “Foundations of Cancer Research” designed to provide everyone with the basics of working in a cancer research lab. We practiced preparing dilutions of various concentrations, pipetting, running gels and understanding how to read scientific articles. Shifting gears to the second week, we were officially working in our individual labs. I was assigned to Dr. Font-Burgada’s lab under the guidance of Dr. Lauren Strathearn, and each day since has been a unique learning experience that I have absolutely enjoyed. I was able to learn how to perform an immunofluorescence analysis of the zonation in hepatocytes, purify plasmid DNA and analyze the data! Dr. Strathearn has been a wonderful mentor explaining the details and guiding me every step of the way. This helped calm my nerves while still enjoying the learning process. I am eager to continue working on my project while simultaneously developing as an individual and scientist.
A Blossoming Journey
July 8, 2023
The second half of the fellowship brought along with it an array of new techniques and methods that I was able to watch, learn and even carry out some of them. Although the days were long and some of the techniques were carried out over multiple days, being able to see the end result turn out the predicted way filled me with a sense of satisfaction and reward unlike anything I had ever experienced before. Having started my time in the lab with staining for immunofluorescence, I was able to move onto TSA for immunofluorescence staining, which basically amplified the signals for low abundance targets. Although this process is very similar to that of immunofluorescence, with only a few additional steps, I was able to carry out the protocol by myself with minimal assistance. While this may not seem like much, performing an entire protocol independently in the lab and achieving the expected data helped boost my confidence in my ability to work independently.
Since a major focus of my project is on hepatocytes and their zonation in the development of cholangiocarcinoma, acquiring samples of liver tissue, staining them, and analyzing them is a large portion of my work. The first few weeks, I mainly worked with tissue slides that had been made a few weeks prior. 
This past week, Dr. Strathearn walked me through the entire process from start to finish from performing surgery on mice to making my own tissue slides. An important part of making these slides is using the cryostat and making sure the tissue sections include all the five lobes of the liver. Learning to make the perfect slides was a little challenging at first because of the amount of precision and technique required and it would often take me multiple tries to be able to get a perfect section. Using a cryostat seemed like such a daunting task initially, and I was nervous about having to do it on my own and while I am still not perfect at it, I have improved considerably and have grown comfortable using the machine on my own.
Apart from spending time in the lab, the other fellows and I have had multiple opportunities to spend time with each other, such as the Trainee picnic hosted at Fox Chase, visiting the Mutter Museum, exploring Philly, and watching the Fourth of July fireworks. This opportunity has not only helped me enhance and build my professional and scientific skills, but also introduced me to so many amazing people I perhaps never would have had the chance to meet if not for the Empower fellowship.
In Full Bloom
August 27, 2023
The concluding weeks of the internship were a whirlwind of intensive activity, involving a series of experiments, data collection, analysis, and preparations for the final symposium. Despite the heightened intensity of these final weeks, they were undeniably rewarding as we witnessed the culmination of our collective summer-long efforts.
Having acquired the necessary techniques to execute experiments, I was able to conduct protocols independently and generate results. While the preceding weeks were marked by numerous successful outcomes, these concluding weeks presented us with certain challenges. The brightness of the antibodies employed for immunofluorescence staining occasionally fell short, hindering the differentiation of distinct cells and identification of cancerous clones. Addressing this, we tried making use of different antibodies while altering the incubation time for the slides within the antibodies. Additionally, we conducted flow cytometry analysis to assess cell death. Unfortunately, our sample results did not show a significant difference from the control group, leading to inconclusive data.
Meanwhile, we also worked on crafting the final versions of our symposium presentation while presenting our findings in practice sessions where we received invaluable feedback from Dr. Purdy, Dr. Leystra, and the other fellows. Beyond technical skills required in the lab, we delved into the diverse career paths within Fox Chase and the broader healthcare industry through the Career Path series. This initiative featured accomplished professionals from varied backgrounds within the Center.
Amidst the hustle and bustle of the workdays, we also participated in social engagements, such as brunch with Tom Hoffman and explorations of local must-sees and must do activities, further facilitating bonding experiences. Over the course of my fellowship, I've acquired an extensive range of not only laboratory skills but also career development insights, effective presentation techniques, abstract composition ability, and networking proficiency.
This fellowship has not only enriched my comprehension of cancer biology but has also furnished me with a well-rounded understanding of the scientific and professional world. The skills I have gained are undoubtedly transferrable to various spheres of life and future endeavors. I'm extremely appreciative for all the invaluable learning throughout the summer and eagerly anticipate what the future holds.